This week, Labor Day and National Payroll Week served as good reminders that our post-recession economy is different and the way people work within it is also different. Although the number of jobs has grown, part-time work is becoming the new normal, and virtual work meant that some labored even in the midst of their Labor Day barbecues. National Payroll Week celebrated wage earners and payroll professionals, while polls show that the payroll-to-population employment rate fell in August, and the number of households with union members continues to drop.

This changing nature of the way people work is driven in part by the fast-paced world of technology and the race to keep up with competitors. This week alone Samsung released its new smartwatch, Apple set a release date for its new iPhone, and Microsoft announced plans to release a new Xbox in November. In addition, this week New Jersey passed a law to restrict company access to employee social media, developers are creating “NSA-Proof” private email, and privacy groups are rushing to block new changes to Facebook policies.

Labor Day in the Modern Workplace
New culture of work, both virtual and traditional, on Labor Day 2013 (Denver Post)
U.S. Payroll to Population Rate Drops to 43.7% in August (Gallup)
Is part-time work the new normal? (Detroit Free Press)
Job vacancies soar in Minnesota, but not wage offers (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
Labor Day Weekend Is a Working Vacation for Many (ABC)
It may be Labor Day weekend, but union power is waning (Guardian)
Who's Working on Labor Day? America's Fastest-Growing Jobs (PBS)

There's an App for That
Five free music apps to help you find the songs you like (LATimes)
Apple sets September 10 as the day that iPhones get cheap and cheerful (Guardian)
Samsung Unveils Galaxy Gear Smartwatch (WSJ)
Scientists Use Videogames to Improve Older Brains (WSJ)
Your Heartbeat: The Ultimate in Password Protection? (Atlantic)

DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.

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